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TIDBITS by RALPH SHEALY

LEAVE IT HOME

I watch the major entertainment award shows, mainly because there is nothing else on at the time. Many of the movies and television shows, I have never seen. The network TV shows that I watch are rarely recognized. Most of the awards go to cable or streaming services. I’m happy to say I did watch “The Crown” on Netflix that got the Golden Globe Sunday for best drama. In some of the other TV categories, I had never heard of some of the winners. What I dislike about entertainment awards’ shows is when recipients get political. I don’t mind political jokes, nor do I mind winners talking about the plot of the movies they were in. I can’t stand for an award recipient for acting to devote their entire acceptance speech to politics. I like Meryl Streep. She’s a wonderful actress, and I could care less about her political affiliation. Like all of us, she has a right to support the candidate of her choice. You shouldn’t dislike someone simply because they don’t vote the way you do. Meryl was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Golden Globes Sunday and she devoted her entire acceptance speech to criticizing Donald Trump, although she never mentioned his name. All the people who helped make her a star and contributed to her receiving such an honor be darned. She mentioned none of those people. If I were on the board of directors of the Hollywood Foreign Press, I’d take the award back. She mentioned Trump making fun of a disabled reporter. You know it, I know it, and the whole world knows that is exactly what Trump was doing, although he denies it. Like most spoiled brats he has answers for everything and is never wrong. Still, the Golden Globes is no place to make a political speech. Of course, the liberal stars praised Meryl for her speech. Like her, they are sore losers. Like any spoiled brat would do, it didn’t take long for Trump to tweet out his comments, calling Streep an over rated actress. I guess 18 Academy Award nominations makes an actor over rated. I don’t like Donald Trump. I didn’t like him as the host of “The Apprentice,” and I certainly don’t like him as a candidate for President. “Despicable Me” would be a perfect title for his life story. But he won. Meryl should have worked harder for Hilary, who also could have a movie called “Despicable Me, Also.” Make jokes, fine. I liked it when Hugh Laurie said this may be the last Golden Globes, because it is sponsored by the Hollywood Foreign Press, three things Trump doesn’t like. We’ve only got a few days until Donald Trump is sworn in as President of the United States. He will be the most disliked president in history at his swearing in. We’ve learned to dislike the others as they progressed in office. President Obama and Donald Trump are more alike than different. Both are arrogant and believe it’s their way or no way. Neither knows the meaning of compromise, because neither think they are ever wrong. Both are products of Ivy League schools. Both have known a life of privilege, and can not relate to the little people. Donald Trump is the only person in American who doesn’t know Russia is our enemy. He must have slept through the Cuban Missile Crisis or the Cold War. Of course, when you’re stinking rich those things don’t concern you. Consorting with the enemy some say? Who has President Obama negotiated with? Do Iran and Cuba ring a bell? Those are definitely our enemies, too. And by negotiating with those two, he infuriated our allies in the Middle East and the Cuban Americans, whose families endured the wrath of Castro’s regime. Plus, the U.S. allowed a resolution against Israel to pass in the U.N. Israel is our only true ally in the Middle East. The president’s foreign policy has been awful, so it’s hard to criticize Trump. I wish the Congress would pass a law before Trump is sworn in, making it illegal for the President of the United States to use social media. I follow Trump and Obama on Twitter. President Obama has typical “Merry Christmas” type tweets, while Trump cuts to shreds anyone who says anything negative about him. The President of the United States should be above all that. Keep it to yourself, Mr. President. You’re not a reality TV star anymore ... although I do enjoy reading the Tweets.....

BELTLESS

My brother Jamie told me about an app called “Wish.” It has thousands of products for sale for next to nothing. I downloaded the app. The products are made in China, so ordering makes me un-American, I know, but I just had to try one or two items out of curiosity. Since they come from China, it take the products awhile to get here. I’ve mainly ordered $2 or $3 neckties. I’m sure they are going to be high quality for that price. I’ve read some reviews that have comments like, “They smell funny.” I’ve only gotten one item, one of those “holeless” belts, as see on TV. The first thing I did when it arrived was smell it. I did smell kind of funny. Instead of holes, the belt has groves that operate like a ratchet. The buckle has a release button to loosen the belt. I tried this several times before I actually wore the belt. Friday, I wore the belt to work. As you all are well aware, there comes a time when you need to unbuckle your belt during the course the day. That time came. I mashed the button, but the belt did no loosen. I mashed it again, and again. I was beginning to believe I would have to wear the belt for the rest of my life. Then I remembered something, “Scissors.” I was about to get the scissors, when I remembered something else. The belt has a release on the back of the belt buckle that you can flip up to remove the belt from the buckle in the event it was too long and needed to be cut. Thankfully, the belt was not so tight that I couldn’t turn the buckle and flip the latch. Once the belt was off, I could get the release button to work. I don’t know, however, if I’ll ever wear the belt again. That’s $4 wasted!

DUCK!

I’m glad I didn’t see this. Bubba and Holly Shealy, and their two children, Hayes and Ellery, sit in the balcony at Emory. This gives the kids room to play while the service is going on. Sunday, little Ellery was playing with a ball when she suddenly chunked it out the window to the congregation below. It landed just behind Wayne Fulmer. Yep, if I had seen this, I would have developed the unstoppable giggles.

HALF AND HALF

I know Clemson fans have enjoyed every minute of this national championship hunt. Carolina fans, however, have enjoyed it about as much as the Auburn fans in the great state of Alabama ... for two years in a row! I fell asleep at the end of the third quarter Monday nifght, but awakened to see Clemson’s game winning drive. Earlier, on my way to County Counci, I photographed the sunset, which was a bright orange. I know God doesn’t picks sides, but that was ironic. I’m glad to see Watson go out a champ, and I’m even more happy to see Watson go!!!